Catheters such as those for access to the arteriovenous system of a patient have often been merely taped to the skin of the patient to hold them in position. However, this has the disadvantage that the catheter cannot be conveniently adjusted either by rotation about its own axis, or by elevation upwardly or downwardly in a varying angle transverse to the skin. Thus, such catheters may be somewhat painful, and damaging to tissue at their entry sites, because they are not positioned in optimal manner.
In attempts to improve the problem of securing catheters to the skin, winged catheter assemblies have been provided of various kinds, for example as shown in Kvalo U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,432. Other catheter or needle anchoring devices are provided in which attempts are made to permit change of the angularity of the catheter with respect to the skin, for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,288,137; 4,769,010; 4,250,880; and 4,224,937. In these patents, attempts are made to provide some vertical angular adjustability to needles or catheters which extend through the skin, but the mode of adjustment is relatively difficult, and the structures used are fairly complex and cumbersome.
By this present invention a simple, inexpensive catheter retention collar is provided for retaining a catheter on the skin of a patient in desired position. The collar may either be sutured to the skin, or it may be used in conjunction with a flat member which adheres to the skin, to provide easy rotational and vertical angular adjustability to the catheter in its relation to the skin, while still providing firm retention of the catheter in desired position. Optionally the adjustability can be essentially spontaneous, so that pressures of the catheter against the tissue at the skin entry site are minimized, contrary to the prior art.